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Nightengale: Trade flurry sets stage for playoffs, 2015

A look at the trades that put the Athletics and Tigers on a collision course, set the Red Sox up for 2015, shook up the Cardinals clubhouse and left some feeling underwhelmed for the Rays' return for David Price.

Can we go ahead and stop the season now, fast-forward to the playoffs and get to this epic American League playoff sequel III between the Detroit Tigers and Oakland Athletics?

Can we rewind when we get to October and ask the contenders what in the world were they thinking by not grabbing David Price at what emerged as a bargain-basement price?

Is it OK to get off Seattle Mariners GM Jack Zduriencik's back for a change and congratulate him for pulling off a heist by getting a starting major league center fielder, Austin Jackson, for a Class AAA shortstop who had no chance of cracking their big-league team?

Can we be the first to predict that the Boston Red Sox will win the 2015 World Series, becoming the first team in major-league history to go from last-to-first-to-last-to-first again with their glorious haul? They became the first defending World Series champs to trade three starters who won Series games in the middle of the following season.

Oh, and no matter what parting gifts the New York Yankees have planned for Derek Jeter, nothing will compare with Thursday's presents, surrounding him with two veteran players. Yes, even if it meant grinding their teeth and making a trade with the hated Red Sox for the first time in 17 years.

What a magnificent final lightning round of action baseball experienced Thursday in the final hours of the non-waiver trade deadline, where there were 12 trades involving 19 teams and 37 players, including two draft picks.

"I'd be lying if I told you I wasn't a little surprised by some of the moves and some of the magnificence,'' said Angels GM Jerry Dipoto, whose team was one of the few contenders quiet at the deadline. "Obviously, a lot of good teams get better. And then a lot of teams who were looking to check down and play for 2015, and beyond, did a good job there.''

The biggest winners, of course, were the Athletics and Tigers, who might be in different divisions but have been eyeing one another all summer.

The A's opened the day by acquiring Red Sox World Series hero Jon Lester for right fielder Yoenis Cespedes and even brought back team favorites Jonny Gomes and Sam Fuld. Just like that, they had a World Series rotation of Lester, Jeff Samardzija, Sonny Gray and Scott Kazmir.

But just when the A's were trying to figure out where to hold their World Series gala came the news Tigers GM David Dombrowski had struck again.

The Tigers trumped the A's move by acquiring the prize of the trade market, Price, and all it took was center fielder Jackson (who went to Seattle), left-hander Drew Smyly and shortstop prospect Willy Adames.

Really. That was it.

Just like that, the Tigers not only have the last three Cy Young Award winners on their team, but also the last three MVPs. Their playoff rotation now consists of Max Scherzer (2013 Cy Young winner), Price (2012 winner), Justin Verlander (2011 winner) and Anibal Sanchez.

"What gives us the best chance of winning the world championship this year?'' Tigers GM David Dombrowski asked. "We thought adding him to our rotation at this point would give us the best chance to do that."

See you boys in October.

And yes, you'll be facing those guys in the green and gold again, one more time.

"We're pretty excited here,'' Athletics owner Lew Wolff told USA TODAY Sports. "Even when we made the Samardzija trade, Billy (Beane) kept looking to see how we can improve the club. We know that pitching is really critical, and we really like our pitching now.

"You look at Lester, he's great in the playoffs and in October.

"Then again, we could use a few wins before then, too.''

The Athletics opened the day just 2½ games ahead of the Angels, but while the Samardzija trade was made to win the division, let's be honest, the Lester trade was made to win the World Series.

"My first reaction, like I think any other baseball fan,'' Dipoto said, "was wow! It's Jon Lester. Jon Lester is a stud. We've seen him on the postseason stage before, and he's been great.''

Yes, in fact, few have been better. He has won six postseason games with a 1.97 ERA for the Red Sox, and his 0.43 ERA in the World Series is the lowest by any pitcher in history with at least 20 innings.

The Red Sox, who traded Lester simply because they couldn't reach a deal on a long-term contract, says they're open to bringing him back. Fat chance.

Yet the Red Sox already have a jump start on next year. They acquired St. Louis Cardinals first baseman-outfielder Allen Craig and starter Joe Kelly in return for pitcher John Lackey, left-handed pitcher Eduardo Perez for Andrew Miller, and, of course, a slugger in Cespedes.

The most intriguing trade of the day belonged to the Cardinals, who shook up their clubhouse by dealing away two of their most popular players in Craig and Kelly and bringing in a fierce competitor in Lackey. The Cardinals gave up on the pursuit of Price, saying the cost was too high, and grabbed Lackey, who will earn only $500,000 next year thanks to a unique clause in his contract, along with Justin Masterson, acquired Wednesday from the Cleveland Indians.

It was an awfully steep price to pay, considering Craig was one of the most feared hitters in the National League just a year ago, and Kelly helped them to the World Series.

Maybe the Cardinals just wanted to change the clubhouse culture, and bring in a mean streak, with former Red Sox catcher A.J. Pierzynski already aboard.

Or, maybe, with Price now gone, they can use that savings to make a run at Scherzer, a Missouri native who'll be a free agent in three months.

The Cardinals have the star power of the Los Angeles Dodgers, who kept their prospects instead of guaranteeing a World Series with Price. Yet they now have enough to win the National League Central, overcoming the Milwaukee Brewers (who landed only Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder Gerardo Parra) and the Pittsburgh Pirates (who did nothing).

Yet when you consider the inferior package the Rays received for Price, you wonder if they could have landed Price themselves for the same package of players they dealt away.

MLB executives were absolutely stunned the Rays didn't receive more for Price. Sure, scouts and executives love Adames, the Tigers' prized shortstop prospect, but he shouldn't be the main piece. Couldn't the Rays have received the same package this offseason, executives wondered, and at least given their team hope for a possible playoff run?

"These are difficult decisions we are forced to confront,'' owner Stuart Sternberg said in a release. "Our fans have come to understand that reality, just as our organization has learned to operate with the challenges posed by the economic model and the growing disparity in our sport."

And you wonder why nobody bothers to come to Rays games? Who wants to support a team only to eventually see their favorite players dealt away?

The A's are in the same financial predicament, and as they proved again Thursday, they are going for it with an $87 million payroll.

The Yankees have lost four-fifths of their starting rotation and have star players hobbled or having rotten seasons. You don't see them sitting around and feeling sorry for themselves. They grab as many guys as they can -- acquiring Martin Prado from Arizona and Stephen Drew from Boston, along with third baseman Chase Headley and starter Brandon McCarthy earlier.

They don't want Jeter's final game to be Sept. 28 at Fenway Park. They want him to play in October, one more time.

Well, if nothing else, the Rays assured that Price will be playing in October.​

TRADE DEADLINE TRACKER:

July 31: The Rays traded LHP David Price to the Tigers in a three-team trade with the Mariners. The Mariners received OF Austin Jackson; the Rays got LHP Drew Smyly, INF Nick Franklin and minor league INF Willy Adames. Jesse Johnson, USA TODAY Sports